Audit Trail Management For A Menu System In A Digital Consumer Product

• US 20070244931A1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Randall, Darrel, Thompson, Wanda
• Granted Patent: US 7,870,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4392 involving audio buffer management
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications

Abstract

A digital consumer product having a menu system includes an audit trail system having an audit trail management system that removes screens from an audit trail triggered by the addition of a new screen to the audit trail. Menu screens and/or video screens are added to the audit trail as navigated by the user and, accordingly, certain screens are removed from the audit trail. The audit trail management system also provides the ability to store two or more instances of full-screen video and all intervening screens, the ability to provide all data and temporary state information for all screens stored in the audit trail and the ability to restore and refresh them, the ability to retain partial screens and screen objects and the ability to restore and refresh them, and the ability to remove any or all stored screens

Claims

1. A method for adding a next screen to an audit trail in an electronic device providing menu screens and video screens, the method comprising the steps of:

if the next screen is a video screen and a predetermined number of video screens has been saved in the audit trail, removing one of the predetermined number of video screens before adding the next screen to the audit trail and

if the next screen is not a video screen and an existing instance of the next screen is in the audit trail, removing the existing instance and all screens added thereafter before adding the next screen to the audit trail or

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adding the next screen if the predetermined number of video screens has been saved in the audit trail, further comprises the step of removing any screens added before the one of the predetermined number of video screens.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adding the next screen if the predetermined number of video screens has been saved in the audit trail, further comprises the step of removing any screens between the one of the predetermined number of video screens and an immediately following instance of video screen before adding the next screen to the audit trail.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one of the predetermined number of video screens is the instance of the predetermined number of video screens first added to the trail.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of if the next screen is not a video screen and an instance of the next screen is in the audit trail between a particular instance of the predetermined number of video screens and an immediately following one of the predetermined number of video screens, removing all screens added before the immediately following one of the predetermined number of video screens.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein no menu screen is allowed before the instance of video screen first added to the audit trail.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of if the next screen is not a video screen and no instance of the next screen is in the audit trail, adding the next screen to the audit trail.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined number of video screens comprises two.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

retaining screen data and temporary state information for an added next screen, the retained screen data and temporary state information restored along with the restored added next screen during backward traversing of the audit trail.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

updating retained screen data and temporary state information for an added next screen during restoration of the added next screen during backward traversing of the audit trail.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

removing an added next screen from the stored audit trail including notifying any retained screen data and temporary state information for the removed added next screen that they will be deleted in order to restore any system states that have been changed.

12. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

retaining a partial screen associated with an added next screen, the retained partial screen restored with the added next screen during backward traversing of the audit trail.

13. A digital television apparatus (42) providing menu screens and video screens, the digital television apparatus comprising:

storage device for storing an audit trail comprising one or more menu screens and video screens; and

a controller coupled to the storage device and adapted to add a next screen to the audit trail, wherein;

(a) if a predetermined number of video screens has been saved in the audit trail before adding a next screen to the audit trail, the controller removes one of the predetermined number of video screens, and (b) if the next screen is not a video screen and an existing instance of the next screen is already in the audit trail, the controller removes the existing instance and all screens added thereafter before adding the next screen to the audit trail.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein if the predetermined number of video screens has been saved in the audit trail, the controller further removes any screens added before the one of the predetermined number of video screens.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein if the predetermined number of video screens has been saved in the audit trail, the controller further removes any screens between the one of the predetermined number of video screens and an immediately following instance of video screen before adding the next screen.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one of the predetermined number of video screens is the instance first added.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein if the next screen is not a video screen and an instance of the next screen is in the audit trail between a particular instance of the predetermined number of video screens and an immediately following one of the predetermined number of video screens, the controller removes all screens added before the immediately following one of the predetermined number of video screens.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein no menu screen is allowed before the earliest instance of video screen.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein if the next screen is not a video screen and no instance of the next screen is in the audit trail, the controller adds the next screen to the audit trail.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the predetermined number of video screens comprises two.

21. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to:

retain screen data and temporary state information for an added next screen in the storage, the retained screen data and temporary state information restored along with the restored added next screen during backward traversing of the audit trail.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the controller is further configured to:

update retained screen data and temporary state information for an added next screen during restoration of the added next screen during backward traversing of the audit trail.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the controller is further configured to:

remove an added next screen from the stored audit trail including notifying any retained screen data and temporary state information for the removed added next screen that they will be deleted in order to restore any system states that have been changed.

24. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to:

retain a partial screen associated with an added next screen in the storage, the retained partial screen restored with the added next screen during backward traversing of the audit trail.

25. A television apparatus comprising:

means for saving an audit trail comprising one or more menu screens and video screens; and

means for managing the saved audit trail including the addition of a next screen to the audit trail, wherein;

(a) if a predetermined number of video screens has been saved in the audit trail before adding a next screen to the audit trail, the managing means removes one of the predetermined number of video screens, and (b) if the next screen is not a video screen and an existing instance of the next screen is already in the audit trail, the managing means removes the existing instance and all screens added thereafter before adding the next screen to the audit trail.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein if the predetermined number of video screens has been saved in the audit trail, the managing means further removes any screens added before the one of the predetermined number of video screens.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein if the predetermined number of video screens has been saved in the audit trail, the managing means further removes any screens between the one of the predetermined number of video screens and an immediately following instance of video screen before adding the next screen.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the one of the predetermined number of video screens is the instance of the predetermined number of video screens first added to the audit trail.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein if the next screen is not a video screen and an instance of the next screen is in the audit trail between a particular instance of the predetermined number of video screens and an immediately following one of the predetermined number of video screens, the managing means (30) removes all screens added before the immediately following one of the predetermined number of video screens.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein no menu screen is allowed before the earliest instance of video screen.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein if the next screen is not a video screen and no instance of the next screen is in the audit trail, the managing means adds the next screen to the audit trail.

32. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the managing means further:

retains screen data and temporary state information for an added next screen in the means for storing, the retained screen data and temporary state information restored along with the restored added next screen during backward traversing of the audit trail.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the managing means further:

updates retained screen data and temporary state information for an added next screen during restoration of the added next screen during backward traversing of the audit trail.

34. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the managing means further:

removes an added next screen from the stored audit trail including notifying any retained screen data and temporary state information for the removed added next screen that they will be deleted in order to restore any system states that have been changed.

35. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the means for managing further:

retains a partial screen associated with an added next screen in the storage, the retained partial screen restored with the added next screen during backward traversing of the audit trail.